He transferred from the Ox & Bucks Light Infantry to the Royal Flying Corps. He was mentioned in despatches. He married Joan Hanmer in 1917, just a few months before he went missing.

Citation for the Military Cross: Temp. Lt. (Temp. Capt.) J. T. Milne, Gen. List and R.F.C. Whilst leading offensive patrols, he has shown great determination and courage in attacking hostile formations, although in superior numbers, at close range. He has also done long and arduous reconnaissances and secured good photographs under very adverse conditions and heavy fire, displaying throughout an admirable spirit of fearlessness and energy.

Clive Moore’s name on the Arras Memorial. Photographed for Marching in Memory, July 2015

15th August 1917. Clive Moore, H Social 1910. Lt, 43rd Squadron, Royal Flying Corps. Missing in action on 15th August 1917, death confirmed in June 1918

He left Radley just as the war broke out, and took a commission in the Royal Fusiliers. Although he loved the life when training, eventually after serving in France, he transferred to the R.F.C. He was reported missing on Aug. 15th, and it is now believed that he has been killed, as no news has been received of him since that date.

He was developing into a very strong and capable man, but it was more especially in his straightness of character that he made- his mark amongst all with whom he came into contact.

Guy Boddington was last seen alive on 19th December, 1916. In March 1917, The Radleian magazine reported him as ‘wounded and probably a prisoner of war in German hands.’ He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial alongside all those others who have no known grave.

Arthur Clarke’s story exemplifies the horror and confusion of the 1st Battle of the Somme. He was reported wounded but missing in October, 1916. By June, 1917 this had been amended to ‘believed to have been killed on 9th September 1916.’ His body was recovered and is buried in Caterpillar Valley Cemetery, Longueval.

After school, he went to Christ Church, Oxford. When the War broke out he was in Switzerland, unable to return to England until early in September, 1914. When he did get back he immediately enlisted in the North Somerset Yeomanry. He went to the Western Front in October, 1914, and took part in the first battle of Ypres. In February, 1915, he was given a commission and after three months’ training in England rejoined his regiment at the front. He was wounded on 25th September, 1915, in the Battle of Loos, and, after six months’ sick leave, rejoined his regiment. He was slightly wounded on June 27th, 1916, but was able to return to duty after a few weeks in hospital.

After school he went to study at Ontario Agricultural College, Toronto. When war broke out he immediately returned to England from Canada to enlist, and served in the ranks for about a year. He received his commission in October 1915. He was killed while leading his platoon against a German trench.

Edwin Mattingley was born in Radley village in 1893. He came to work for the College as a gardener’s boy at the age of 15. By 1914, he was employed as a footman. He enlisted on 11th August, 1914. He took part in the Battles of Festubert and Loos in 1915, and was granted his first seven days leave on 18th May 1916.

At 2am on the morning of 27th July, 1916, his battalion moved into its forward trenches at Delville Wood. At 5.10am the British Artillery began to bombard the German positions at Longueval Village. The Berkshires advanced 270 yards and began to dig in. German forces began to shell the British troops with high explosives and sniper fire. Outnumbered and short of ammunition the British troops had to scavenge the captured trenches for munitions. The new line held against counter attacks and German shelling began to decline by 17.00 hours, all quiet by 21.30. Sometime during this action, Edwin was lost. On his service sheet, the officer recorded: ‘missing after action 27th July 1916.’ After the War returning comrades said that he had last been seen returning into no-man’s land to rescue a wounded comrade.

Edwin was described as 5 feet 2 inches tall, 128 lbs in weight with hazel eyes, light brown hair and a 36 inch chest. He was aged 25 when he died, so this is a good description of the average British tommy. Two of his brothers also served. Both survived. (Information from ‘Gone for a soldier’ by MBJ Mawhinney, for Radley History Club)

The name of Lance Vidal on the Loos Memorial. Photographed for ‘Marching in Memory’ for Combat Stress, July 2015

25th September 1915

Battle of Loos

This must be considered the darkest day in the history of Radley College. Eleven men from the College fell on this one day during the Battle of Loos and an unknown number were wounded. Many of the men were volunteers in Kitchener’s New Army, so the list of the Fallen includes young men from Radley village who had worked for the College and the first serving schoolmaster to be killed.

Although the long-drawn out campaigns of Gallipoli, the First Battle of the Somme, the Third Battle of Ypres (Paschendaele) claimed more lives overall, 25th September must stand forever as a day of mourning.

Lancelot Vidal, Schoolmaster, Tutor of A Social. 2nd Lt, 2nd Bn, Ox & Bucks Light Infantry. Reported missing, believed killed in action on the first day of the Battle of Loos.

‘For days, even weeks, we entertained hopes that the news might be false, but eight weeks have now elapsed, and we can now only fear the worst. He was last seen in the German trenches in the attack on Sept. 25th. when in charge of a machine gun … it has since been learnt that he was killed by a shell whilst pushing forward with his section in the early morning of September 25.’

Lance Vidal was the first serving schoolmaster of Radley College to fall in the Great War. He volunteered in 1914, having held the post of Tutor of A Social for two weeks. He was a popular Don at Radley and was one of those instrumental in introducing and promoting rugby football as the school’s major sport. He had played for Harlequins before joining Radley. He was also Master in Charge of Cricket.